1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus and a recording medium for controlling an inter-vehicle distance apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Inter-vehicle distance controlling apparatuses for controlling an inter-vehicle distance (a distance between this vehicle and the preceding vehicle traveling on the same lane in the same traveling direction) to automatically track the preceding vehicle are known. Tracking is performed by controlling the acceleration and deceleration units to reduce difference between the actual inter-vehicle distance and the target inter-vehicle distance, that is, an inter-vehicle distance deviation. If the mechanisms relating the acceleration or deceleration are out of order, generally, the inter-vehicle distance control is disabled. For example, Japanese Patent application provisional publication No. 10-16900 discloses that controlling is inhibited when an error is detected in the transmission which acts as a deceleration mechanism, such as engine-braking by down-shifting. However, the error in the deceleration mechanism may be temporary.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a superior inter-vehicle distance control apparatus and a superior recording medium for controlling inter-vehicle distance apparatus.
According to the present invention, a first aspect of the present invention provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus for a vehicle comprising: acceleration means for accelerating said vehicle; deceleration means for decelerating said vehicle; inter-vehicle distance control means for calculating an inter-vehicle distance control amount in accordance with an inter-vehicle distance deviation and a relative velocity between said vehicle and said preceding vehicle and controlling said acceleration and deceleration means in accordance with the calculated inter-vehicle distance control amount to travel said vehicle to track the preceding vehicle, said inter-vehicle deviation being difference between an actual inter-vehicle distance physical amount and a target inter-vehicle distance physical amount, said actual inter-vehicle distance physical amount corresponding to an actual inter-vehicle distance between said vehicle and the preceding vehicle, said target inter-vehicle distance physical amount corresponding to a target inter-vehicle distance between said vehicle and the preceding vehicle; judging means for judging whether said deceleration means is in a temporarily unusable condition of said deceleration means, said temporarily unusable condition being that said deceleration means is now unusable due to a known cause but will be usable again in the near future; and control means responsive to said inter-vehicle distance control means and said judging means for judging that it is necessary to drive said deceleration means by said inter-vehicle distance control means and continuing control by said inter-vehicle control means when it is judged that it is necessary to drive said deceleration means by said inter-vehicle distance control means and said judging means judges that said deceleration means is in the temporarily unusable condition.
According to the present invention, the second aspect provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus based on the first aspect, further comprising informing means for informing a driver of data when said judging means judges that said deceleration means is in said temporary unusable condition and said operation of said deceleration means is required by said inter-vehicle distance control means.
According to the present invention, the third aspect provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus based on the first aspect, further comprising: acceleration side judging means for judging whether said acceleration means is in an acceleration temporarily unusable condition; and acceleration control means responsive to said inter-vehicle distance control means and said acceleration side judging means for judging that it is necessary to drive said acceleration means by said inter-vehicle control means and operating said inter-vehicle control means to continue controlling by said inter-vehicle control means when it is judged that it is necessary to drive said acceleration means by said inter-vehicle control means and said judging means judges that said acceleration means is in the temporarily unusable condition.
According to the present invention, the fourth aspect provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus based on the second aspect, wherein said informing means informs said driver of alarm data when said actual inter-vehicle distance is shorter than a predetermined alarming distance.
According to the present invention, the fifth aspect provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus based on the fourth aspect, wherein said data is equal to said alarm data.
According to the present invention, the sixth aspect provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus based on the first aspect, wherein said deceleration means includes an actuator having a rating for controlling a brake pressure, said rating defining the maximum continuously operating interval, said inter-vehicle distance control apparatus further comprising detection means for detecting a continuously operating interval of said actuator, and said judging means judges that said deceleration means is in said temporarily unusable condition when said continuously operation interval reaches said maximum continuously operation interval.
According to the present invention, the seventh aspect provides a recording medium storing program data readable by a computer in an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus comprising: acceleration means for accelerating said vehicle; deceleration means for decelerating said vehicle; inter-vehicle distance control means for calculating an inter-vehicle distance control amount in accordance with an inter-vehicle distance deviation and a relative velocity between said vehicle and said preceding vehicle and controlling said acceleration and deceleration means in accordance with the calculated inter-vehicle distance control amount to travel said vehicle to track the preceding vehicle, said inter-vehicle deviation being difference between an actual inter-vehicle distance physical amount and a target inter-vehicle distance physical amount, said actual inter-vehicle distance physical amount corresponding to an actual inter-vehicle distance between said vehicle and the preceding vehicle, said target inter-vehicle distance physical amount corresponding to a target inter-vehicle distance between said vehicle and the preceding vehicle; judging means for judging whether said deceleration means is in a temporarily unusable condition of said deceleration means, said temporarily unusable condition being that said deceleration means is now unusable due to a known cause but will be usable again in the near future; control means responsive to said inter-vehicle distance control means and said judging means for judging that it is necessary to drive said deceleration means by said inter-vehicle control means and operating said inter-vehicle control means to continue controlling by said inter-vehicle control means when it is judged that it is necessary to drive said deceleration means by said inter-vehicle control means and said judging means judges that said deceleration means is in the temporarily unusable condition.
According to the present invention, an eighth aspect provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus for a vehicle comprising: acceleration means for accelerating said vehicle; deceleration means for decelerating said vehicle; inter-vehicle distance control means for calculating an inter-vehicle distance control amount in accordance with an inter-vehicle distance deviation and a relative velocity between said vehicle and said preceding vehicle and controlling said acceleration and deceleration means in accordance with the calculated inter-vehicle distance control amount to travel said vehicle to track the preceding vehicle, said inter-vehicle deviation being difference between an actual inter-vehicle distance physical amount and a target inter-vehicle distance physical amount, said actual inter-vehicle distance physical amount corresponding to an actual inter-vehicle distance between said vehicle and the preceding vehicle, said target inter-vehicle distance physical amount corresponding to a target inter-vehicle distance between said vehicle and the preceding vehicle; detection means for detecting condition of said deceleration means; judging means for judging whether said deceleration means is in a permanently unusable condition or a continuing condition in accordance with the detected condition, said continuing condition including a temporary unusable condition and a normal condition of said deceleration means; and control means for stopping control by said inter-vehicle distance control means when said judging means judges that said deceleration means is in said permanently unusable condition and operation of said deceleration means is required by said inter-vehicle distance control means and continuing said control by said inter-vehicle distance control means when said second judging means judges that said deceleration means is in said continuing condition and said operation of said deceleration means is required by said inter-vehicle distance control means.
According to the present invention, a ninth aspect provides an inter-vehicle distance control apparatus based on the eighth aspect further comprising: acceleration side judging means for judging whether said acceleration means is in a permanently unusable condition or a continuing condition in accordance with the detected third condition, said continuing condition of said acceleration means including a temporary unusable condition and a normal condition of said acceleration means; and acceleration control means for stopping control by said inter-vehicle distance control means when said acceleration side judging means judges that said acceleration means is in said permanently unusable condition and operation of said acceleration means is required by said inter-vehicle distance control means and continuing said control by said inter-vehicle distance control means when said acceleration side judging means judges that said acceleration means is in said temporary unusable condition and said operation of said acceleration means is required by said inter-vehicle distance control means, wherein said control means and said acceleration control means effect common operations between when said judging means judges that said deceleration means is in said temporary unusable condition and said operation of said deceleration means is required by said inter-vehicle distance control means and when said acceleration side judging means judges that said acceleration means is in said temporary unusable condition and said operation of said acceleration means is required by said inter-vehicle distance control means.